


enjoying the view

by annadavidson



Series: let us duel the stars (a mass effect dual au) [10]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Dual AU, Jaal Ama Darav Appreciation Week 2017, M/M, Mass Effect AU, Mass Effect Dual AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-12-08 06:52:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11641251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annadavidson/pseuds/annadavidson
Summary: Julian wasn’t staring – or rather he was trying not to.Prompt: “And now you’re naked. Okay.”





	enjoying the view

Julian wasn’t staring – or rather he was trying not to. He’d walked in with Gabby on whatever it was that Liam and Jaal had been doing. He registered that a conversation was going on, but the words didn’t reach his ears. He couldn’t focus, his face beat red, eyes wide. Liam was shirtless and looking rather attractive. Jaal was, well, he wore even less than Liam – so much less that he wore absolutely nothing, and Julian couldn’t help thinking that Jaal looked  _extremely_  attractive.

He was starting to think that being on a ship with handsome men wasn’t such a good idea.

He tried to keep his gaze up, focus it on a random point on the wall behind the two other men. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought Gabby looked flustered too. However whereas he was clearly flustered by both men, he suspected her focus was mostly – maybe not entirely but  _mostly_  – on Liam.

Then Jaal walked by them and Julian couldn’t stop his eyes from following. He registered a chuckle and Liam’s voice.

“Enjoying the view?”

His gaze snapped onto Liam, who was currently grinning at him as if he knew something the young Pathfinder did not. He opened his mouth to speak but found he couldn’t quite find his voice. His mind was still trying to catch up after the shock of walking in on… Whatever they had walked in on.

“You know you can follow him, if you want?” Liam asked, clearly amused by something Julian hadn’t figured out yet.

Julian’s voice practically became an embarrassed squeak. “Why would I want to follow him?” He wasn’t sure if his friend was implying he had something to do with a naked Jaal or not.

“You could talk to him?”

“About what?”

“Anything?”

“He’s  _naked.”_

Liam shrugged. “Bring him a blanket?”

Julian frowned faintly. “Do you just want to be alone with my sister?”

At his side, Gabby sputtered. In front of him, Liam’s cheeks darkened with a blush.

Liam stepped forward and slung an arm around Julian’s shoulders. Considering he was still shirtless and attractive, it didn’t help Julian think any clearer.

“Just go get ‘em!” he said with a grin and a wink.

Julian wasn’t sure what or who he was supposed to go get. Did he mean Jaal? He glanced at his sister, whose face was still lit up with a blush but she managed to give him one of those reassuring smiles he would always associate with her and their memories together.

He looked back to Liam. “Are you trying to get rid of me? Am I being a third wheel?”

Liam blinked, clearly a little bit confused. “What?  _No!”_

“If you want to be alone with Gabby, she has a bedroom,” he stated matter-of-factly.

Before Gabby could say anything, Liam chuckled awkwardly and guided Julian out of the room. He then leaned down, speaking closer to the Pathfinder with his voice low so only Julian would hear him.

“I doubt Jaal will mind if you go stare at him a little and throw some compliments his way.”

Julian felt his own blush return. He didn’t know what else to do so he exchanged a glance with his sister before taking his friend’s advice.

When he found Jaal again, the angaran was sitting with a blanket draped over him. He looked up when he noticed the Pathfinder and saw the way that Julian looked from the blanket to him.

“I passed by Cora,” he explained, “And the next thing I knew, she threw a blanket at me and advised that I should cover up.”

Julian felt a pang of disappointment he didn’t plan to admit to. “Oh. Well… Not everyone is comfortable with uh – a lack of  _all_  clothing unless they’re in a romantic or sexual relationship with someone, and not even always then.” He clamped his mouth shut when he realized he was about to start rambling or lecturing on the topic.

Jaal watched him, and Julian wondered if it had occurred to the angaran that others might be uncomfortable with his stripping. He wondered how comfortable the angara were with revealing skin. He’d only ever seen them – until now with Jaal, of course – fully clothed.

“Am I making  _you_  uncomfortable?” Jaal asked.

Julian hesitated, thinking over how he felt. Awkward, yes, but he didn’t feel particularly uncomfortable. He shook his head. “I’m fine.”

Jaal didn’t seem to believe him. “Your face is all red.”

“I uh…” It took Julian a moment to figure out how to respond. “I’m just um – I’m not used to it, but that doesn’t mean I’m um – I’m uncomfortable.” He briefly glanced at the blanket. “Aren’t you cold, though? I can go fetch your clothes, if you’d like? I left Liam and Gabby alone – hopefully a shirt is the only clothes Liam’s missing still.”

Jaal chuckled, a sound that made Julian smile. “Do you think they’re–?”

“I hope not,” he answered quickly. He didn’t want to risk getting a mental image of that. “I think Gabby needs to get to know him more. I don’t think he’d try anything – if he did, she’d probably punch him and then panic and apologize.”

Jaal laughed as if the idea of the other Pathfinder punching Liam and then fumbling with an apology amused him. “I will join you.” He stood up, not bothering to grab the blanket. The thin soft fabric slipped off him and bunched up around his feet.

Julian wondered if it was possible to die from too much blushing. He tried to make a mental note to research into it later except his brain refused to process anything except for Jaal’s bare body once again.

“And now you’re naked,” he couldn’t help commenting, “Again. Okay.”

Jaal was watching him carefully. “You look uncomfortable.”

Did he? In general he wasn’t good at expressing his emotions so he wasn’t sure if he did, in fact, look uncomfortable or if Jaal was just guessing.

“I’m fine,” he managed to squeak out which only added to his embarrassment. He clear his throat, hoping that would help. It didn’t. “Let’s – Let’s just go get your clothes.”

**Author's Note:**

> Like/reblog on Tumblr [here](http://magicrobins.tumblr.com/post/163541945125/julianjaal-and-now-youre-naked-okay).
> 
> Gabby Ryder's owner: [Tumblr](http://bxtgrl.tumblr.com/) & [AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/NatureGirl202/works).


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